Capillarity controlled wick



Sept. 20, 1949. J. D. RUST CAPILLARITY CONTROLLED WICK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Aug. 20, 1946 INVENTOR, Jbhn fl Rust BY ATTORNEY- J. D. RUST2,482,557

NTROLLED WICK Sept. 20, 1949.

CAPILLARITY CO 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 20, 1946 I N VEN TOR,

my; 12 Bust ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 20, 1949 UNITED STATES OFFIQE. 2,482,557 "1 QUA'HLLARI'IT CONTROLLED WICK John n. ma, Memphis, Tenn. ApplicationAugust 20, 1946, Serial Nor 691,781

-1 'Glaim- (01. 91-448) The present invention in its general aspectrelates to a means torvariably controlling the capillarity of a fluidpassing wick.

Primarilythe invention has for its object to provide an improved 'fiu'idconducting wick or sponge and a holder that has provisions forcontrolling the fluid conductivity of the wick or sponge to permitpassage of a regulated amount of fluid derived from a constant source ofsupply.

Another obirect is to provide an improved means for regulating the flowof fluid through a wick by compressi'ing thewielr to a desirable degree.My immediate application oi this principle is for dampening cottonpicker spindles to the proper degree. I have found through a number ofyears of-experiments that the effectiveness of moisture on a-cottonpicker spindle is the greatest with the least amount of moisture thatcan be applied to the sp'ndle and still leave it damp. The surplus offluid acts temporarily as a Iubricator. (Jor1seciuerit tit smoothstlfi'aeed spindles carrying a surplus of moisture may enter the cottonplant and rotate in contact with the cotton fiber without wrapping upthe fiber for the reason that the spindle is withdrawn from the plantbefore the cotton fiber has had time to absorb the surplus liquidsuffithe spindles. I ficult job to apply enough moisture to make sure ofdampening the spindles without at the same time getting a surplus ofliquid on the spindles. My present invention overcomes this difficultyby the use of texture supported in a mechanism designed to adjustablysqueeze the wick uniformly between the part of the wick that receivesthe liquid and the part that delivers the liquid by capillary action tothe spindles or to molstening rings, such as shown in my applicationSerial Number 618,104, filed September 24, 1945, which in turn wipe themoisture onto the spindles.

A further object is to provide an improved adto effect a propercompression released to allow removal and replacement of wicks withoutrequiring a new adjustment of the pressure applying parts.

A further object is to provide improved means for compressing the wickat an angle in order to provide greater density along the liquidreceiving portion of the wick than along the liq-. uid deliveringportion of the wick. This method of compression causesthe liquid to flowby capillary action toward the less dense portion 01 the wick whichapplies the liquid to the moving parts of the machine. ed vertical wicksuch as is specifically described in this application, there wouldresult a considerable loss of liquid at the receiving side of thewick ifthe density of the receiving and applying portions of the wick were thesame;

I Other objects will in part be obvious and in part will be pointed outhereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends, inventioniurtherxresides, in those novel details or construction, combinations.and v arrang-ements of parts, all of which will first be described indetail and then be specifically point!- ed out in the appended claim,reierence being had to the accompanying drawings in which.

Fig. 1 is a detail plan view showing my inventionfin use. I

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of thedevice constituting per se, myinvention looking in the directicmoi the arrow ea, in Fig. 1. I

Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevation of my device looking in the direction ofthe arrow b in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an elevation similar to Fig. 2 on a smaller scale andillustrating another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a detail elevation looking in the direction of the arrow 0 inFig. 7.

Fig. '7 is a cross section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the wick.

In the drawings in which like numerals and letters of reference indicatelike parts in all the figures, 1 represents a part of the frame of aRust type cotton picking machine, 2 the dofier rings, 3 thedofier-ring-suppcrting roller, 4 the picking spindles, 5 a part of theendless slat conveyor chain, and 6 the slats, all of which are of knownconstruction and per se constitute no part of the present invention.

Mounted in suitable supports or brackets 1 is the device which comprisesmy present invention. The device comprises a tubular support 8 having anupper mounting rod 9 to engage the upper bracket 1 and a lower hollowrod ID to engage the lower bracket 1. The rod 10 communicates with thetubular support 8 and is provided with a drain plug 12. Water from asuitable source of supply is introduced into the upper end of thesupport 8 through a nipple ll,

' When using an elongat- The s pport 8 has one or more outlet holes l3tightening up more on one nut than on the other over which the wick orsponge 22 lies. the n A rigid plate I 1 extends laterally from the withrespect to the overall length of the wick. pport against which plate thewick or p n e By applying the squeeze pressure along the closer 22 issqueezed by means of an adjustable plate 5 edges of the divergingplates, the flow of liquid Is nd threaded studs I4, washers I5 and nu slaterally to the contact area 22' is facilitated.

IS. A reinforcing plate I9 is welded to plate 13 From the foregoingdescription taken in conwhere the studs come hr nd both plates nectionwith the accompanying drawings it is I8 and [9 have bent over portions20, 2! respecthoughtthe construction, operation and advany, o cov th neredge of the wick. 10 tages of the invention will be clear to thoseskilled Preferably the studs l4 do not extend normal in the art to whichthe invention appertains.

to the plate I! but are bent laterally slightly so whatIclaimis;

that plate l8 diverges from the inner edge of A device comprising atubular support, a fixed the wick outwardly from plate I! (see Figs. 1plate extending laterally of and secured to said and 7). The wicknormally is of rectangular support, a wick placed against said fixedplate, cross section as shown in Fig. 9 and is apertured a movable plateplaced over said wick and havor slotted, as at 22 to receive the studs I4. ing a. flange over one longitudinal edge of said In order to enable aquick change of wicks to wick. means for holding said plates and Wick inof some kind so that wicks may be removed and said support, said supporthaving means to permit the nuts l6 Such a device is illustrated in Figswick, said holding means including studs on said 6, 7, and 8 byreference to which it will be seen support, said wick and said movableplate having that I provide a slide rod 23 having Wedge elestud-passingholes, a slide rod having stud-passments' 25 and slots 21 to pass thestuds M. The 25 ing slots and wedges, grooved wedge-washers on rod 23 isheld in position by grooved wedges 26 said studs fittedover the wedgeportions of said slidable along the studs I 4 and cooperating with sliderod tocooperate with the same and adjustthe wedges 25 when the rod 23 isdown. A finger ing nuts on said studs engaging said wedgepiece 24enables the rod 23 to be raised to rewa h rs, I lease the wick andlowered to secure it again 30 JOHN RUST without changing the adjustment.

Means for the purpose can be used, other than REFERENCES CITED thatdisclosed herein as the mechanism shown The following-references arevofrecord'in the in Figs. 6 to 8, inclusively, is merely an example file fthis patent:

and not a limitation.

Further the sponge or wick 22 may be in one UNITED STATES PATENTS pieceor it may be in sections if desired. Number Name Date In order to lessenthe flow of liquid toward the 326,533 Sparks Sept 22 1385 free edge 22it is only necessary to tighten up 3961402 Hodkinson et aL Jan 1889 onthe nuts l6 and conversely to increase the 2,033,042 storck Ju 1937 iiowit is only necessary to loosen the nuts. By 1163529 Storck Ju 1939

